Neck pain is a common condition, affecting millions of Americans. In many cases, x-rays do not show anything visibly wrong with the neck, suggesting that the problem is a relatively subtle one involving soft tissues. (Conversely, x-rays of people without neck pain often show arthritis; this suggests that even when positive x-ray results are found in people with neck pain, they may be unrelated.) Subtle or not in origin, the discomfort of neck pain can be severe, and lead to real disability.

The cause of soft-tissue neck pain is not known. Symptoms may follow a whiplash injury, or simply arise, apparently, from bad posture or chronic tension.

NOTE: It is unclear that
any
conventional medicine intervention for neck pain or whiplash speeds recovery or produces any other long term benefit.
9-10,20

Proposed Natural Treatments

Acupuncture

A 2006 review of the literature found 10 controlled studies of acupuncture for chronic neck pain.
21
The pooled results suggest that acupuncture may be more effective than fake acupuncture, at least in the short term. However, overall the study quality was fairly low.
Subsequently, a pilot study showed that 10 weeks of acupuncture combined with physical therapy was more effective than either acupuncture or physical therapy alone for chronic neck pain, at least over the short-term.
23
Other randomized trials have found that real acupuncture (versus placebo treatment) improved the quality of life in people with chronic neck pain.
26,28

In another study, 124 people with chronic or acute whiplash were randomized to receive 12 sessions of real or sham electroacupuncture (electricity is applied to the acupuncture points).
27
While those receiving real electroacupunture did have less pain, the results were not clinically significant, and there were no improvements in disability or quality of life.
Interestingly, in a study of 177 people with chronic neck pain, fake acupuncture proved more effective than massage.
5
If acupuncture does have an effect on neck pain, it is probably modest.

Chiropractic

Millions of Americans report that
chiropractic spinal manipulation
has relieved their neck pain, but there is as yet little scientific evidence supporting the use of spinal manipulation for this purpose.
1,2,11-12,25
Most studies have found manipulation (with or without related therapies such as mobilization or
massage
) to be no more effective than other treatments for this condition.

One large study (almost 200 participants) found that a special exercise program called MedX was more effective than chiropractic spinal manipulation.
3
However, a study reported in 2006 showed that a single high-velocity, low-amplitude (eg, chiropractic-style) manipulation of the neck was more effective than a single mobilization procedure in improving range of motion and pain in people with neck pain.
19
And a 2010 systematic review including 17 randomized trials found mixed results for the benefits of manual therapy (including manipulation and mobilization) combined with exercise.
24
According to these researchers, high-quality studies showed manual therapy plus exercise to be more effective than exercise alone in the short-term, but there was no difference over the long-term.

Other Treatments

Osteopathic manipulation
, a form of treatment often compared to chiropractic, is widely believed to help neck pain, but there is as yet no meaningful scientific evidence to support its use for this condition.
14
Many people with neck pain use
massage therapy
for relief, but, again, scientific support is lacking, and one study found fake laser acupuncture more effective than massage for neck pain.
5

In one study, an ambitious holistic treatment regimen for neck pain (including craniosacral osteopathy along with Rosen Bodywork and Gestalt Psychotherapy) failed to prove more effective than no treatment.
16

Qigong
is an ancient Chinese practice involving various breathing exercises and physical postures, which are thought by its practitioners to enhance general health. In one study, Qigong was no more effective than conventional physical therapy exercise techniques in the treatment of chronic, nonspecific neck pain.
22

Dry cupping is an ancient technique used to treat pain. The technique involves placing cups on the skin and then removing the air from the cups to create a vacuum. In a small randomized study, 50 people with chronic neck pain were randomized to dry cupping or the wait-list (no treatment).
29
Those who underwent the treatment reported a decrease in their neck pain. In the absence of a placebo control (sham cupping), however, it is not possible know whether the cupping itself led to beneficial effect in this pilot study.

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.